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In total (all age-race-marital groups), North Carolina's
fertility rate was 1 1 percent lower than the nation's and
seventh lowest among the states in 1982. According to
estimates by the Alan Guttmacher Institute, the state's
1982 abortion rate and abortion ratio (abortions per
1,000 live births plus abortions) were also below the
nation's, by 20.1 and 6.7 percent respectively. During
1982, state and national declines in the abortion rate were
comparable while reduction in the state's abortion ratio
(1.8%) far exceeded that for the U.S. (0.3%). The latter is
due to the fact that, in contrast to an increase in North
Carolina, the nation's fertility rate was about the same in
1982 as in 1981. (1,4)
Abortion Fractions in Marital Detail
Table 5 displays abortion fractions for age-race-marital
groups. In general, the proportion of pregnancies result-ing
in abortion rose in 1 983 following reductions in 1 98
1
and 1982. For nonwhites, the increase continued in 1984
with the fractions for married nonwhites under age 30 and
unmarried nonwhites under age 20 reaching record-high
levels. In contrast, the fractions for nonwhites 30 and
older peaked earlier in the 1978-84 period with the frac-tions
for older and married nonwhites declining in each
year 1981-1983.
Among married whites of all ages, 1984 fractions were
lower than in earlier years; at ages 30-34 and 35-44, 1984
fractions were below those in 1978 by 13 and 32 percent
respectively. In contrast, the fractions for older unmar-ried
whites rose in each year 1981-1983.
In summary, the data of Table 5 reveal that the choosing
of abortion over childbearing has increased markedly
among married nonwhites under age 30 and unmarried
nonwhite teenagers while declining among older married
women of both races, especially whites. That all four
race-marital groups experienced reduced abortion frac-tions
during 1981-82 (especially 1982) is also notable.
Teenage Pregnancy
In the preceeding sections, the following state and
national changes in teenage pregnancy were noted:
North Carolina
• For both races, 1978-1984 reductions in fertility
rates were more than 17 percent at ages 15-17 and
about 8 percent at ages 18-19.
• Nonwhites 15-19 and whites 15-17 experienced
record-high abortion rates and fractions in 1983 and
1984.
• For both whites and nonwhites over the 1978-84
period, correlations between fertility rates and the
abortion rates and fractions of women 15-17 and
18-19 were negative and statistically significant.
• Recent changes in abortion fractions have involved
increases among both married and unmarried non-white
teenagers.
United States
• Between 1978 and 1982, the U.S. fertility rate for
unmarried white women 15-19 rose an estimated 30
percent ( 1 ).
• Fertility among unmarried nonwhite teenagers has
declined ( 1 ).
The following teenage fertility rates were observed dur-ing
1982:
North United
Carolina States ( 1
)
Whites 15-17 25.7 25.2
18-19 68.8 70.8
Nonwhites 15-17 63.5 65.6
18-19 121.4 128.2
While these rates are at least average to favorable for
North Carolina, those involved in reducing teenage preg-nancy
in the state must not be complacent; a recent study
by the Alan Guttmacher Institute (AGI) reveals that U.S.
teenagers become pregnant, give birth, and have abortions
at significantly higher rates than do adolescents in other
industrialized countries; moreover, America is the only
developed country in which teenage pregnancy is on the
rise (5).
The following pregnancy rates, defined here as abor-tions
plus live births per 1 ,000 females, were observed
during 1981:
15-19 15-17 18-19
N.C. Totalt 90 62 130
Whitest 76 48 113
U.S. Total* 96 62 144
Whites* 83 51 129
England and Wales* 45 27 75
France* 43 19 79
Canada* 44 28 68
Sweden* 35 20 59
Netherlands* 14 7 25
t Based on N.C. resident live births and N.C. resident-occurrence
abortions. If out-of-state abortions to N.C.
residents were available and included here, the N.C.
rates would be higher.
* Rates taken from reference 5.

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In total (all age-race-marital groups), North Carolina's
fertility rate was 1 1 percent lower than the nation's and
seventh lowest among the states in 1982. According to
estimates by the Alan Guttmacher Institute, the state's
1982 abortion rate and abortion ratio (abortions per
1,000 live births plus abortions) were also below the
nation's, by 20.1 and 6.7 percent respectively. During
1982, state and national declines in the abortion rate were
comparable while reduction in the state's abortion ratio
(1.8%) far exceeded that for the U.S. (0.3%). The latter is
due to the fact that, in contrast to an increase in North
Carolina, the nation's fertility rate was about the same in
1982 as in 1981. (1,4)
Abortion Fractions in Marital Detail
Table 5 displays abortion fractions for age-race-marital
groups. In general, the proportion of pregnancies result-ing
in abortion rose in 1 983 following reductions in 1 98
1
and 1982. For nonwhites, the increase continued in 1984
with the fractions for married nonwhites under age 30 and
unmarried nonwhites under age 20 reaching record-high
levels. In contrast, the fractions for nonwhites 30 and
older peaked earlier in the 1978-84 period with the frac-tions
for older and married nonwhites declining in each
year 1981-1983.
Among married whites of all ages, 1984 fractions were
lower than in earlier years; at ages 30-34 and 35-44, 1984
fractions were below those in 1978 by 13 and 32 percent
respectively. In contrast, the fractions for older unmar-ried
whites rose in each year 1981-1983.
In summary, the data of Table 5 reveal that the choosing
of abortion over childbearing has increased markedly
among married nonwhites under age 30 and unmarried
nonwhite teenagers while declining among older married
women of both races, especially whites. That all four
race-marital groups experienced reduced abortion frac-tions
during 1981-82 (especially 1982) is also notable.
Teenage Pregnancy
In the preceeding sections, the following state and
national changes in teenage pregnancy were noted:
North Carolina
• For both races, 1978-1984 reductions in fertility
rates were more than 17 percent at ages 15-17 and
about 8 percent at ages 18-19.
• Nonwhites 15-19 and whites 15-17 experienced
record-high abortion rates and fractions in 1983 and
1984.
• For both whites and nonwhites over the 1978-84
period, correlations between fertility rates and the
abortion rates and fractions of women 15-17 and
18-19 were negative and statistically significant.
• Recent changes in abortion fractions have involved
increases among both married and unmarried non-white
teenagers.
United States
• Between 1978 and 1982, the U.S. fertility rate for
unmarried white women 15-19 rose an estimated 30
percent ( 1 ).
• Fertility among unmarried nonwhite teenagers has
declined ( 1 ).
The following teenage fertility rates were observed dur-ing
1982:
North United
Carolina States ( 1
)
Whites 15-17 25.7 25.2
18-19 68.8 70.8
Nonwhites 15-17 63.5 65.6
18-19 121.4 128.2
While these rates are at least average to favorable for
North Carolina, those involved in reducing teenage preg-nancy
in the state must not be complacent; a recent study
by the Alan Guttmacher Institute (AGI) reveals that U.S.
teenagers become pregnant, give birth, and have abortions
at significantly higher rates than do adolescents in other
industrialized countries; moreover, America is the only
developed country in which teenage pregnancy is on the
rise (5).
The following pregnancy rates, defined here as abor-tions
plus live births per 1 ,000 females, were observed
during 1981:
15-19 15-17 18-19
N.C. Totalt 90 62 130
Whitest 76 48 113
U.S. Total* 96 62 144
Whites* 83 51 129
England and Wales* 45 27 75
France* 43 19 79
Canada* 44 28 68
Sweden* 35 20 59
Netherlands* 14 7 25
t Based on N.C. resident live births and N.C. resident-occurrence
abortions. If out-of-state abortions to N.C.
residents were available and included here, the N.C.
rates would be higher.
* Rates taken from reference 5.